Main Content

08:25-01

cutopen

7P-Standoff

A standoff in Old Southwest ended peacefully last night thanks to successful
negotiations.
Police were prepared for the worst, but the situation was resolved quietly
after Ernie J. Henderson was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Roanoke police surrounded the home in the 500 block of Elm Avenue after
receiving a report that shots had been fired.
Members of the police tactical unit were called in, while a negotiator spoke
with Henderson by phone.
Ultimately, officers persuaded him to surrender. He walked out the back door
and was taken into custody without incident.
(----------------)

7philip-morris

A recent 20-thousand dollar contribution from Phillip Morris to attorney
General Jim Gilmore is raising a few eyebrows.
(----------------)
SUPER=@File;

That's because soon after he took the donation, the Republican candidate for
governor told reporters he had NO plans to withdraw Virginia's friend of the
court brief on behalf of tobacco companies against the F-D-A regulations on
teen smoking.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 54:57
IN Q=i think
((LT. GOV. DON BEYER: I THINK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FACES A SERIOUS CONFLICT OF
INTEREST RIGHT NOW. ON THE ONE HAND HE'S ACCEPTING SERIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
THIS INDUSTRY. ON THE OTHER HAND, HE HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENFORCE OUR
LAWS AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.))
SUPER=@Beyer1
RUNS=:13
OUT Q=our children.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Richmond/Yesterday;

Opponent Democrat Don Beyer picked up 12-thousand dollars himself from
Philip Morris last year.
And his prospective running mate L-F Payne picked up a 10-thousand dollar
donation.
Governor Allen admits GILMORE'S donation didn't come at the best time.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 23:31 97-12
IN Q=
((GOV. GEORGE ALLEN: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT....DISCLOSED. WHICH
MEANS EVERYONE CAN HAVE ALL THEIR POT SHOTS AND COMMENTS ABOUT IT.))
SUPER=@allen
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=comments about it.
ANCHOR=Melanie
SS=none

Gilmore was unavailable for comment yesterday.

7E-Long

A D-U-I Charge has been dismissed against former Radford firefighter Tommy
Long after a lab lost the results of his blood test.
Long was charged with driving under the influence of drugs when he ran a
fire truck into a parked police car.
Special prosecutors Gino Williams expects to reinstate the charge if and
when the report turns up.
Long requested the independent analysis.
A STATE lab test revealed what a toxicologist described as an unusually
high level of a prescription medication in Long's blood.

7S-Green

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=Morn
WRITER=spr
TAPE#97-5
GRAPHIC=none

The Franklin County animal breeder who lost her pets on charges of neglect
is in trouble with the authorities again.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Franklin Co./March 11;

Just a few weeks after a judge said Valery Green could no longer own any
pets, animal control officers found a puppy inside a fenced in portion of her
property.
SUPER=04-January;

Green lost custody of her 120 dogs and cats after a Franklin County judge
ruled she mistreated them.
Authorities have issued a "show- cause" warrant against her and she's
scheduled to appear in court April 8th.
If Green is found in contempt... she could face a stiff fine, or jail time.
(----------------)

19- year- old Chad Michael Pedro (PEH-drow) is charged with holding up the
Quik-E food store in Forest early Wednesday.
A tape of the robbery was broadcast on local t-v, including W-D-B-J.
Someone who knew (PEH-drow) Pedro recognized his voice and clothing.
Detectives arrested the teen at his girlfriend's home in Lynchburg.
He reportedly has confessed to the crime.
Pedro is charged with robbery.
(----------------)

55E-Rke-Standoff

Police surrounded the home in the 500 block of Elm Avenue and diverted
traffic, after receiving a report that shots had been fired.
A negotiator spoke with Ernie J. Henderson by phone, and ultimately
persuaded him to surrender.
The stand- off ended about an hour after it began when Henderson walked out
the back door of the house and was taken into custody.
(----------------)

Beyer has won "two strikes and you're out" laws and a sex offender registry
in Virginia in recent years.
But yesterday he proposed a three level procedure that mandates that sex
offenders be introduced to the twon they're moving into at a public meeting.
He says he's NOT worried things will get ugly.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 09:56:36
IN Q=But they
((LT. GOV. DON BEYER: BUT THEY ))
SUPER=@Beyer1;
RUNS=:17
OUT Q=children again.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The American Civil Liberties Union calls it a novel idea that fits into a
new trend of "public shaming."
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 11:53:14
IN Q=Everyone
((KENT WILLIS/VA ACLU: EVERYONE CARES ABOUT FAMILIES...IN THE FIRST PLACE.))
SUPER=01-Kent Willis/Virginia ACLU;
RUNS=:20
OUT Q=first place.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

55E-DSM-Layoffs

A Wytheville company is reorganizing in an attempt to become more
competitive.
But it means 50 people will lose their jobs.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Wytheville/File Tape;

D-S-M Engineering Plastics Products used to be called Polymer Corporation-
Now it's phasing out several product lines.
It's also shifting some of its manufacturing between its plants in
Wytheville and Reading, Pennsylvania.
The layoffs will take effect throughout the second half of the year.
D-S-M currently employs about 130 people in Wytheville.
(----------------)

55weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Turning to weather--
Increasing clouds on this Good Friday.
Temperatures will be rather mild, around 70.
Cloudy, with the chance of showers tonight.
Lows in the 50s.
Some early showers, then partly sunny tomorrow with highs in the mid 60s.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve
SUPER=314-Increasing Clouds/Wind S 10-15/68-72/Cloudy, Chance of/Rain
Late/50-54;
SUPER=#555; reset
cutopen
SUPER=@Melanie1

8E-Rke-Standoff

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

A peaceful end to a tense standoff in Roanoke last night.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Roanoke;

Police surrounded a home in the 500 block of Elm Avenue and diverted
traffic, after receiving a report that shots had been fired.
A negotiator spoke with Ernie J. Henderson by phone, and ultimately
persuaded him to surrender.
The stand- off ended about an hour after it began when Henderson walked out
the back door of the house and was taken into custody.
(----------------)

Beyer has won "two strikes and you're out" laws and a sex offender registry
in Virginia in recent years.
But yesterday, on a school playground, he proposed a three level procedure
that mandates that some convicted rapists and molesters be introduced to the
town they're moving into at a public meeting.
He says he's NOT worried things will get ugly.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 09:56:36
IN Q=But they
((LT. GOV. DON BEYER: BUT THEY ))
SUPER=@Beyer1;
RUNS=:17
OUT Q=children again.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

The American Civil Liberties Union calls it a novel idea that fits into a
new trend of "public shaming."
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 11:53:14
IN Q=Everyone
((KENT WILLIS/VA ACLU: EVERYONE CARES ABOUT FAMILIES...IN THE FIRST PLACE.))
SUPER=01-Kent Willis/Virginia ACLU;
RUNS=:20
OUT Q=first place.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

8E-DSM-Layoffs

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Re-organizing at a Wytheville company will leave 50 people without jobs.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Wytheville/File Tape;

D-S-M Engineering Plastics Products used to be called Polymer Corporation-
Now it's phasing out several product lines.
It's also shifting some of its manufacturing between its plants in
Wytheville and Reading, Pennsylvania.
The layoffs will take effect throughout the second half of the year.
D-S-M currently employs about 130 people in Wytheville.
(----------------)

8S-Green

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=spr
TAPE#97-5
GRAPHIC=none

She lost custody of more than 100 dogs and cats-- now a Franklin county
breeder is in trouble for owning another pet.
(----------------)
VO-NAT
SUPER=03-Franklin Co./March 11;

Just a few weeks after a judge said Valery Green could no longer own any
pets, animal control officers found a puppy inside a fenced in portion of her
property.
SUPER=04-January;

Green lost custody of her 120 animals after a Franklin County judge ruled
she mistreated them.
Authorities have issued a "show- cause" warrant against her and she's
scheduled to appear in court April 8th.
If Green is found in contempt... she could face a stiff fine, or jail time.
(----------------)

8E-State-Schools

It appears Virginia's students are buckling down--
An annual report card just released showed public school students have
improved on nearly half of 46 performance indicators.
(/////SOT/////)
SOT 08:05:47
IN Q=There's some
((RICHARD LAPOINTE/VA. SUPERINTENDENT FOR PUB. INSTRUCTION: THERE'S SOME NICE
MOVEMENT. I BELIEVE THE MORE RIGOROUS STANDARDS THE BOARD IS MOVING TOWARD
WILL TAKE US TO AN EVEN HIGHER PLATEAU.))
SUPER=@LaPointe;
RUNS=:11
OUT Q=plateau.
(----------------)
VO-NAT

More students are taking algebra before 9th grade, and more are receiving
advanced studies diplomas.
Last year, Virginia students showed NO improvement on nearly two-thirds of
the indicators.
(------0----------)

8weather

ANCHOR=Melanie
NEWSCAST=cut-in
WRITER=kmc
TAPE#
GRAPHIC=

Let's look now at what today's forecast holds--
Increasing clouds on this Good Friday, with highs near 70.
We could see some showers by tonight, with lows in the lower 50s.
Rain ending early tomorrow, with partly sunny skies and highs in the mid
60s.
SUPER=X5000; set dissolve
SUPER=314-Increasing Clouds/Wind S 10-15/68-72/Cloudy, Chance of/Rain
SUPER=#555; reset
Late/50-54;